Members of the Lev Tahor ultra-orthodox Jewish sect walk down a street while an emergency motion in the child custody case is held at the courthouse in Chatham, Ont., March 5, 2014. (Dave Chidley/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Members of the Lev Tahor ultra-orthodox Jewish sect walk down a street while an emergency motion in the child custody case is held at the courthouse in Chatham, Ont., March 5, 2014.(Dave Chidley/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

JUSTICE

Lev Tahor members appealing denial of entry, says Trinidad official
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Nine members of a fringe Jewish sect have filed an appeal against a decision by authorities in Trinidad and Tobago to deny them entry, the country’s attorney-general said Friday.

The latest challenge will likely delay any attempt to return the members of Lev Tahor to Canada, where a court has ordered the children placed in the care of children’s aid.

Wayne Garrett of Canada makes final touches to his art installation "CLOUD" ,made up of 5000 new and recycled lightbulbs, along the Marina Bay in Singapore March 5, 2014. Garrett and compatriot Caitlind Brown are part of the 28 groups of local and international artists who are taking part in the i Light Marina Bay biennial sustainable light art festival which will run from Friday to March 30 along the Marina Bay.
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Day in photos

Day in photos

In an interview from Port-of-Spain, Attorney-General Anand Ramlogan said the appeal was filed Friday with the chief immigration officer.

“We are now in the process of dealing with that appeal,” Mr. Ramlogan told The Canadian Press.

“In the meantime, we anxiously await the position of the Canadian authorities.”

Canadian justice authorities, however, have refused to discuss what steps they might be taking to get the group returned.

Given the pending weekend, it was unlikely the appeal would be held before next week at the earliest.

On Thursday, a court in Port-of-Spain dismissed an emergency challenge by the group against the decision by immigration authorities to deny them entry.

At least two Lev Tahor families left Canada for Guatemala this week, only to be stopped in Trinidad.

Early this week, an Ontario judge issued an emergency order that 14 Lev Tahor children be placed in the care of children’s aid, but police said all but two had left the country, some apparently via Mexico.

Sect members came to Canada in 2005 after their spiritual leader, Rabbi Shlomo Elbarnes, was granted refugee status here.

Child-welfare authorities in Quebec spent a year investigating issues related hygiene, health and allegations that the children weren’t learning according to the provincial curriculum.

The group has denied all allegations of mistreatment.

Late last year, a Quebec court ordered that 14 Lev Tahor children be placed in foster care.

About 200 members — 114 of them children — left Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que., in the middle of the night, and moved to Chatham, Ont.

Last month, a judge found the move to Ontario was made to avoid the custody proceeding there and he ordered the children be turned over to child protection authorities in Quebec.

Officially, the group in Trinidad is under the care of WestJet, which flew them there. WestJet is required to return them to Canada and will have to cover their costs in the interim.